Sanitary napkin having core predisposed to a convex upward configuration

• US 6,986,761 B1
• Filed: 02/03/1995
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Hines, Letha Margie, Olsen, Robb Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Kidwell, Michele M.
• Application Number:
  US08/383,550
• Time in Patent Office: 4,001 Days
• Field of Search: 128/855, 604/365, 604/366, 604378-380, 604/383, 6043851-387, 604/389, 604/390
• US Class Current: 604/385.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/4704 having preferential bending zones, e.g. fold lines or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/47218 with a raised crotch region, e.g. hump

Abstract

A sanitary napkin which deforms to a convex upwardly shaped cross section. The sanitary napkin has a line of weakness which is symmetric about the longitudinal axis and longitudinally concave towards the lateral centerline. In a preferred embodiment, the line of weakness is discontinuous and comprises discrete sites joining the topsheet and core. The discrete sites may be bilaterally staggered about the line of weakness.

Claims

1. A sanitary napkin having a longitudinal center line and a lateral centerline orthogonal thereto, and having longitudinal side margins and transverse ends, said sanitary napkin comprising:

a liquid pervious topsheet;

a liquid impervious backsheet; and

an absorbent core intermediate said topsheet and said backsheet, said core having two major faces, a first major face oriented toward said topsheet and a second major face oriented toward said backsheet, said first major face having a discontinuous first line of weakness therein, said line of weakness being longitudinally concave towards said lateral centerline, said line of weakness comprising discrete sites, said discrete sites being bilaterally staggered about said line of weakness wherein said sanitary napkin deforms to a convex upward configuration while in use.

2. A sanitary napkin according to claim 1 wherein said line of weakness comprises compressed regions in said core.

3. A sanitary napkin according to claim 1 wherein said line of weakness comprises cuts or slits in said core.

4. A sanitary napkin according to claim 1 wherein said line of weakness joins said core and said topsheet.

5. A sanitary napkin according to claim 4 wherein said sanitary napkin is free of adhesive joining said core and said topsheet.

6. A sanitary napkin according to claim 1 further comprising second and third discontinuous lines of weakness in said core on the opposite sides of said longitudinal centerline and being laterally concave away from said longitudinal centerline, wherein said second and third lines of weakness comprise discrete sites.

7. A sanitary napkin according to claim 6 further comprising V-shaped discontinuous lines of weakness comprise discrete sites radiating outwardly from said longitudinal centerline as a said transverse end of the sanitary napkin is approached.

8. A sanitary napkin according to claim 7 further comprising flaps for attachment to an undergarment of a wearer, wherein said flaps are joined to said backsheet inboard of said longitudinal side margins of said sanitary napkin.

9. A sanitary napkin according to claim 8 further comprising two discontinuous lines of weakness symmetrically opposite about said longitudinal centerline and oriented concave outward therefrom, said two lines of weakness having a vertex juxtaposed with said lateral centerline, wherein said two lines of weakness comprise discrete sites.

10. A sanitary napkin according to claim 9 whereby said sanitary napkin deforms to a W-shaped cross section in response to lateral pressure from the thighs of the wearer.

11. A sanitary napkin having a longitudinal centerline and a lateral centerline orthogonal thereto, and having longitudinal side margins and transverse ends, said sanitary napkin comprising:

a liquid pervious topsheet;

a liquid impervious backsheet; and

an absorbent core intermediate said topsheet and said backsheet, wherein said absorbent core and said topsheet are joined together at discrete sites forming a first line of weakness symmetric about said longitudinal axis and longitudinally concave towards said lateral centerline, wherein said discrete sites are bilaterally staggered about said line of weakness.

12. A sanitary napkin according to claim 11 further comprising a second discontinuous line of weakness concave towards said first line of weakness and concave towards said lateral centerline, wherein said second line of weakness is formed by discrete sites.

13. A sanitary napkin according to claim 12 further comprising discrete sites joining said core and said topsheet, said discrete sites being dispersed throughout a portion of said sanitary napkin without conforming to a line of weakness and having a lesser density than said discrete sites comprising said line of weakness.